PORTSMOUTH — The John Paul Jones House Museum, operated by the Portsmouth Historical Society, is reporting their best year in over a quarter of a century. This year the museum saw a 24% increase in admissions. Curator Sandra Rux’s exhibit the War of 1812: What It Meant to Portsmouth was the highlight of the season. The exhibit commemorating the two-hundred year anniversary of the war chronicled stories of privateers, protection and peace and featured gallery talks and lectures in collaboration with the Portsmouth Athenaeum.

Rux continues to refine the museum’s fine textile collection. Recent accessions include a needlework sampler by Ann M. Gerrish that was purchased from Sotheby’s dated August 20, 1832. Recently conserved was a printed handkerchief of George Washington which was archivally framed and has now returned home to the parlor.

Rux also brought her expertise on local history and decorative arts on the road. This season she visited Dondero and New Franklin schools and met with students from Little Harbor, Portsmouth High and Kittery’s Mitchell School for educational programs to introduce and interpret the study of Portsmouth’s great history. Guided house tours make the Portsmouth Historical Society’s rich collection intellectually accessible to all audiences especially children. Over 225 students toured the John Paul Jones house this year and over 300 students were reached overall.

John Paul Jones, the life-size mannequin of the naval hero, did manage to leave the house for a few months to go fishing at another record-breaking exhibit across the street at Discover Portsmouth’s “Under the Isles of Shoals: Discovery at Smuttynose Island”. Dressed as a common 17th-century fisherman he demonstrated traditional fish drying techniques used on the Shoals. He has since returned home and is no longer on display.

While the Jones Paul Jones House is closed to the public for the season, curator Rux offers private tours throughout the winter by appointment. Stay tuned for the 2013 exhibits and programs on the Peace Treaty of 1713 and an exhibition of 19th and 20th century baby clothes opening on Mother’s Day.

For more information about the John Paul Jones House Museum contact: Discover Portsmouth, Middle St., Portsmouth, NH 03801; 603-436-8433; PortsmouthHistory.org.